Chapter 149 Mr. Pei is righteous and confident

After the two of them went out onto the street, Pei Xingju didn't seem to be in a hurry to find a shop. Instead, he took Zhuang Wan into a restaurant first.

Zhuang Wan heard him ask the boss for a basket of steamed dumplings and a bowl of egg drop soup, and asked curiously, "Didn't your chef make you breakfast?"

“The taste is not as good as expected,” he said.

When he said this, the glance he gave me contained three parts of complaint and three parts of grievance.

Zhuang Wan found it funny.

Pei Xingju used to be a person with no appetite, but now he has become a picky eater.

The two of them chose a seat outside, where the table and chairs were small. Zhuang Wan was fine; sitting down didn't feel a thing, but Pei Xingju found it somewhat difficult.

The table is short and narrow, and the long legs cannot be tucked under the table, so one leg can only be bent and the other extended outward.

But his legs were long, and the one that was extended almost reached Zhuang Wan's side.

Zhuang Wan glanced again and again.

She didn't know if it was her illusion, but she always felt that Pei Xingju was showing off his long legs.

She curled her lips. Is it necessary? This person!

The streets of Luyang were filled with the atmosphere of everyday life. While Zhuang Wan and Pei Xingju were enjoying their breakfast, they observed the people passing by with their hands in their hands.

Some people were busy working in the fields with hoes on their shoulders, some were carrying loads on their shoulders and selling the vegetables and fruits they grew, and some were pushing wheelbarrows with a few wooden barrels on them, which were filled with fresh seafood just caught from the sea.

At this time, the conversation at the next table gradually came into my ears.

"I heard something happened in Liuli City."

"What happened?"

"You don't know about such a big thing?" someone said, "A relative of mine just escaped from Liuli City. I heard that the city is surrounded by the army."

"Wow! An army? Where does this army come from?"

"I don't know. It happened yesterday. The entire Liuli City is under investigation. Any suspicious individuals who appear are locked up. The brothels and gambling dens in Liuli City are all sealed off. No one is allowed to enter."

"What about the Lord of Liuli City?"

"City Lord? He's already disappeared. No government dared to intervene in Liuli City before, but now that the imperial envoy from the capital has arrived, it's time to punish him."

Another person echoed, "I knew something was bound to happen in Liuli City sooner or later. Besides everything else, how many people have died inexplicably there over the years? That place... is a bloody pit that tantalizes the eyes."

Zhuang Wan nodded secretly, thinking that this description was very apt. However, she had not expected Pei Xingju to move so quickly.

She asked quietly, "Is what they said true?"

Pei Xingju drank the egg drop soup slowly and nodded.

"Where did you get these soldiers?" Just like magic, they came out all of a sudden, and now the whole Luyang County was full of people.

"The emperor gave it to me." He said concisely.

He had anticipated this trip to Hezhou to be unusual. The Hezhou officials were already entangled in a conspiracy, and he had no way of manipulating them. So he simply asked the emperor for a token to mobilize the garrison.

If the entire Hezhou wants to get to the bottom of this, it must use iron-fisted measures.

After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Wan asked again, "What about Shen Zongji? Has he been caught?"

Pei Xingju tapped her forehead helplessly: "Are you so curious?"

Zhuang Wan covered her forehead and hummed, "I'm curious."

"Catching Shen Zongji is not difficult, the difficult part is..." Pei Xingju said, "how to deal with Shen Zongji."

"?"

Zhuang Wan was confused. After all, she was a top student in the college entrance examination. How could she not understand what was being said?

After a while, Pei Xingju finished his breakfast and stood up leisurely to ask the boss, "How much?"

The boss took a break from his busy schedule and said, "Sir, ten copper coins."

Pei Xingju nodded, then looked at Zhuang Wan.

Zhuang Wan: "What are you looking at me for?"

"You give me money."

"No... you're having breakfast, why should I pay for it?"

"I don't have any money."

“…”

"Besides..." Master Pei glanced over confidently, "Since we are brother and sister, why are you still haggling over ten copper coins with my brother?"

“…”

What's wrong with this person?

.

Nanxi is a county town not far from Luyang County. At this moment, in a courtyard in the county town, the lights were dim and the hot spring mist was swirling.

I saw a man sitting by the pool, his upper body naked, his muscles strong and muscular, and a long scar faintly visible on his arm.

A beautiful maid was kneeling beside him and applying medicine to his arm.

After a while, someone came in and reported: "Prince, Shen Zongji is here."

"Let him in."

Shen Zongji entered the screen in a wheelchair. Without help from others, he slid out of the wheelchair and knelt on the bluestone floor.

"master."

"Shen Zongji, you promised me that you would bring Pei Xingju's head to me within ten days. Now..." He lazily waved his hand to let the maid retreat and continued, "Half of the ten days have passed. Does your promise still count?"

"Master." Shen Zongji had lost a lot of weight in the past few days. Because he had previously severed his left arm, his center of gravity was unstable and he knelt crookedly. He said, "I am ready and can start in the next two days."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "Master, don't worry. I will keep my promise to you!"

Liang Jinxian sneered and suddenly ordered, "Miss Ningyan, play a song for me."

"yes."

Shen Zongji turned his head sharply and saw a figure sitting behind a curtain. Soon, the sound of a zither wafted through the curtain. At first, the tune sounded melodious, but Shen Zongji had heard Liu Ningyan play the zither before and knew her well. Liu Ningyan's playing was incredibly strenuous today, and some notes, which should have been heavier, sounded dissonant due to the lack of force.

He asked, "What happened to your hand?"

The person behind the curtain stopped, was silent for two breaths, and then continued to play the piano.

Shen Zongji closed his eyes, hid his hands under his clothes without leaving any trace, and clenched them tightly.

Liang Jinxian asked, "Luyang City has become an iron wall. Even a fly can hardly escape. How can you enter the city and kill Pei Xingju?"

"Master," he said, "I have the power over the life and death of the Heyang County Magistrate. I have ordered people to disguise themselves as his followers and sneak into Luyang County. We can take action at any time."

"Since you have made all the necessary arrangements," Liang Jinxian slid down slowly, then leaned back against the edge of the bathtub, "Then I will be waiting for your good news."

"Miss Ningyan, change the song," he said.

.

Pei Xingju, in Hezhou, revealed his status as an imperial envoy and promptly summoned his men to investigate Hezhou's tax revenues over the past two years. Luyang County was now thronged with officials from all over the country, arriving to deliver their accounts. Even the courtroom, normally used for inquiries, was completely occupied.

Almost everyone was busy, only Pei Xingju had enough free time to visit Zhuang Wan in the evening.

At that time, Zhuang Wan was organizing a barbecue in the courtyard. It happened that Erya's father had caught two wild rabbits. Zhuang Wan spent two taels of silver to buy the rabbits and invited everyone to grill the rabbit meat around the stove.

Jingzhe arrived at the right time. He didn't know what errand he had been on before, but he just came back this evening and caught up with Zhuang Wan roasting rabbit meat, so he moved a low stool and sat aside to watch.

Erya busied herself with stirring the charcoal fire, Lixia fiddled with the ingredients, and Zhuang Wan flipped the skewers on the grill. Tiedan squatted nearby, sniffing, with Xiao Wangcai crouched at his feet. The five of them and their dog gathered in the courtyard, barbecuing, a lively scene.

When Pei Xingju knocked on the door, Zhuang Wan, who was chewing on a freshly grilled skewer of meat, stood up to open the door. However, when she saw him, she almost dropped the skewer on the ground.

He was wearing a lake blue robe, with a piece of mutton-fat white jade hanging from his waist, a jade crown and black hair, and he stood at the door in a dashing manner.

Zhuang Wan was shocked. What was he doing wearing such bright clothes at night?!

"Why are you here?" Zhuang Wan asked.

Ever since she stopped being his cook, Zhuang Wan rarely went to his house unless it was necessary. She also knew Pei Xingju was busy these past two days, so she stayed in her own courtyard and didn't bother him.

It had been two days since the two of them last saw each other.

"I'm just taking a walk." Pei Xingju stood at the door with his hands behind his back and peeked inside: "Are you roasting meat?"

"Well, Arya's father got some wild game, roasted and delicious."

Pei Xingju nodded: "It does smell good."

He stood at the door without moving, looking very interested in the barbecue, as if it would be unreasonable not to invite people in to have a few skewers.

Zhuang Wan simply invited him, "Have you had dinner yet? Would you like to come in and try some?"

Pei Xingju nodded reservedly: "Okay."

Then, he stepped through the door without hesitation.